Just thought I'd post this here as well in case someone in future is looking for info.

I had the pleasure of talking to Mick Wilkinson about Peugeots today (March 2012) and got some of the story. He knows such a lot of history on the Australian bicycle industry and in particular Qld. Where to start?A chap at Renault cars approached French Peugeot to sell Peugeot cycles in Australia. That was in the early 1970’s beginning out of Melbourne. The sales grew and the business was called Cycles Australia which, down the track, Mick ended up managing as the sales and manufacturing in Qld had grown by that time, other factors shifting the focus from Melbourne. Cycles Australia also made the Madison bikes and Goanna mtb’s very early in mtb history (mid ‘70s!) If you bought a 504 car you would find a Peugeot fold up in the back so they sold a lot of the fold ups too.Something I didn’t know was that all the ‘early’ French made Peugeots were completely assembled in Australia from all the French parts. Importing complete bikes attracted an even more hefty tariff. I bought my UO-8 new from Annand&Thompson ,a car dealer in Brisbane, in 1975 for $196. This was a lot more than a Repco or Malvern Star ….which were about $120 from memory…but Euro prestige has always been worth something I ‘spose. Plus the mudguards still aren’t rusty.

About 1976?? Cycles Australia wanted to start using Japanese components and Australian made frames. French Peugeot required them to send a sample of the three models they would make to France first for approval. That was okayed so they built Australian Peugeots with Suntour components from then and put the Peugeot stickers on ‘em! Eventually Taiwan made everything cheap and the bike industry everywhere changed forever.Mick Wilkinson was in Balmoral Amateur Wheelers when I first met him but has since been a long serving and now Life Member of Hamilton Cycling Club.Cheers all, Owen

Just a bit more on Aussie Peugeots. I think Mick said they were making 8000 a year at Geebung in the late seventies.

Another curiosity ...Early in the'80's I remember they were sponsoring Kenrick Tucker. The track bike he rode to Gold in the '82 Commonwealth Games was a Brisbane made Peugeot ,though obviously not a standard item. The same bike was rebranded Malvern Star for the sponsors of the Olympic team in '84 and Kenrick narrowly missed a bronze in LA. Living in Rockhampton at that time I remember us replaying the video of the sprint over and over and you could see the BB flex from side to side. Not sure if other bikes at that time would have been stiffer but maybe it robbed some of his power?? He still has the largest calf muscles I have ever seen!

Thanks for those posts koen, really interesting reading. Every time i read something like this i think how important it is for someone (it would be me if i didn't have 2 jobs) to go around and interview all the people who were involved in the industry, like joe cosgrove, john abeni etc etc and get all the stories down for future generations while they still can.

When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments- Elizabeth West.

Yes I like to get the stories down too. Mick did say someone from SA Uni ? got a lot of info from him once on industry history so hopefully that is there somewhere for posterity.BTW, It is actually Kenrick, at least I never heard him correct anyone or insist on a different spelling of the velodrome.CheersO

Great history there, koen. Interesting, 70's prices. Can't remember what I paid for the Viscount Sebring in '78, but must have been around that. Shudder to think what my General Nurse's trainee wage was then. I sold my Peugeot 404 and bought the Sebring to commute to Macquarie St from Annandale. A wonder I didn't buy another Peugeot.

Not really on topic, but I owned a great little 1976 Renault until very recently that was built in the Melbourne factory in those days. And also own a 1992 Peugeot that is the same metallic grey at the Aneto recently up for sale on here. So I should get one, just to match my car!

Have been a Peugeot Appreciatate for 30+ years since buying my bike from a school friend in 1979. He purchased it new in 1977 from Lifecycle at Petrie Terrace for $186.00. I did have the original reciept for many years, but can not find it now.After doing some searching and reading this topic I think it is a DR10. It is very similar to Marc2131 white racer although mine is blue. Mine is fitted with steel cotterless cranks and mafac racer centre pull brakes and steel rims. It was never labelled with any model ID. It has always been a great bike to ride but is truely showing some signs of neglect.I'm up for new rims and cranks, an intense clean and then a respray.

I want to rebuild to ride again regularly as a means of increased fitness.

In this endeavour I called at a local tip shop to see what was available for spares, nothing for a 27". However I did pick up a coaster braked 28" oldie. When I can get photobucket to co-operate I will get some pics up here and on the other thread "See what you've got".

Advice on where to obtain a set of wheels would be helpful. I'm on the hill behind the Sunshine Coast.

When I started racing I did fit singles to my UO8 so there may be enough reach in the old Mafac Racer brakes to reach 700c wheels if you can get your hands on them easily. The bottom bracket may be different on the Stronglight cranks?? Is there a French thread?? 'cause I think you will have it. It was a job to get someone to fit a regular BB back then too.The chrome is pretty good though and may clean up on the cranks once you throw away the chaingaurd ring.

This bloke i spoke to yesterday told me of the story about brett richardson and how darrell mcculloch (llewelyn)started his career.

i'm curious about this frame builder abeni.what's his story? anyone like to share some war stories?

on the topic of peugeots i got myself a French made 1989 Racing Team C653 MAB Z on fleabay. Reynolds 653 tubing with a full shimano 600 tricolor groupset. unsure of wheels atm, but I'm stoked!!!

Here are some pics:

Here is the original brochure of the bike in french, would someone please help translate? Previous owner said he bought it in France and shipped it here. Unsure why he had a full 600 ultegra groupset on there though...Second pic is of the galibier with the full 6400 groupset. I was really considering selling the tricolor groupset and get full campy athena. How much are they these days?

pentlandexile wrote:Great looking bike. I'll have a stab at the brochure using my Frenglish skills:

"Haut en couleurs": Dunno. 'Height of colours?' Maybe top of the range paint scheme?"The bike of professional teams and amateurs.""Tout en puissance": [Scratches head] All power/potential?All tubes Reynolds 65314 speeds.Mavic 'equipment' - did Mavic make groupsets or just wheels?

I need a biere after that.

Are the rims clinchers or tubulars?

Ben

"Tout en puissance" - show of strength/power? I googled it and found a picture of a dog jumping out of the water lol.

Mavic did make parts at one time did they not?Here are the specs anyway.

I'm really unsure if the wheels are clinchers or tubs...knowing the original owner did not take the top of the line components and opted for the ultegra ones, i'm guessing clinchers?? could be very wrong but either way...i'm using e-go and cost will be around 50-60 shipped to pinkenbar near the airport. I hope to pick it up next week.

pentlandexile wrote:Great looking bike. I'll have a stab at the brochure using my Frenglish skills:

"Haut en couleurs": Dunno. 'Height of colours?' Maybe top of the range paint scheme?"The bike of professional teams and amateurs.""Tout en puissance": [Scratches head] All power/potential?All tubes Reynolds 65314 speeds.Mavic 'equipment' - did Mavic make groupsets or just wheels?

I need a biere after that.

Are the rims clinchers or tubulars?

Ben

"Tout en puissance" - show of strength/power? I googled it and found a picture of a dog jumping out of the water lol.

Mavic did make parts at one time did they not?Here are the specs anyway.

I'm really unsure if the wheels are clinchers or tubs...knowing the original owner did not take the top of the line components and opted for the ultegra ones, i'm guessing clinchers?? could be very wrong but either way...

i'm using e-go for transpo and cost will be around 50-60 shipped to pinkenbar near the airport. I hope to pick it up next week before easter break. fingers crossed.

ahhhh and so it arrived at hunter express yesterday...finally got my hands on it this afternoon...I must admit, the paint on it are scratched slightly but the crome underneath is in good condition. The bike was well looked after as the cranks and groupset are still very clean and shiny. hubs are 6400 ones with stickers still and wolber clincher rims, continental sport 23 tyres. 26.4mm seat post with white turbo seat which are well used... the frame is actually smaller than expected but i'll give it a good clean and take some better pics tomorrow. Oh, and to my disappointment, it's not a racing team bike by the way its just a ultima 653 frame. which i haven't been able to find anything on to my surprise.

My fiance and I just got her a French-made (according to the decals) Peugeot Tourmalet with Cr-Mo frame, Simplex dropouts, unicrown form, Shimano 7 speed RSX? STI shifters and 400EX groupset. I'll grab some pics soon .. just wondering if anyone had some original pictures/broschures on the Tourmalet?

Here's a Peugeot Mixte that I picked up.The plan is to fix it up for someone. Hopefully one day it will be shiny again like pentlandexile'sI grabed this one in particular becasue of head tube lugs. Most I've seen are plain.